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Lalo Schifrin, the Argentine-American composer who was best known for writing the Mission: Impossible theme, has died. He was 93 years old.
Schifrin died in a Los Angeles hospital on Thursday, June 26th, due to complications from pneumonia.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 21st, 1932, Schifrin was the son of a professional violinist. After studying piano and jazz in his youth — including a span where he was frequently gigging at jazz clubs in Paris — Schifrin’s career reached a new level after he returned to Buenos Aires and formed a 16-piece band that ultimately secured a regular TV spot.
From there, Schifrin had his first interaction with providing music for television, but first took a career detour as the pianist in Dizzy Gillespie’s band, for whom he composed the album Gillespiana. By 1963, though, he was getting offers to compose for Hollywood films and moved to Los Angeles.
In 1965, Schifrin wrote for The Man from U.N.C.L.E., which was followed the next year by arguably his most beloved composition: the Mission: Impossible theme. With its 5/4 time signature, which allows for a rhythmic mimicking of the Morse Code for “M” and “I” — and a uniquely fun, secret agent vibe, it’s one of the most iconic songs in TV history. In 2023, Consequence named it the fourth-best TV theme song of all time.
Schifrin went on to compose music for Cool Hand Luke, Kelly’s Heroes, Dirty Harry, Enter the Dragon, Starsky and Hutch, The Eagle Has Landed, Rush Hour, and more. Along the way, he was nominated for six Academy Awards and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2019.
He was also nominated for several Grammy Awards, and won four: two for Best Original Jazz Composition in 1965 and 1966, followed by Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media and Best Instrumental Composition for the Mission: Impossible theme in 1968. The Mission: Impossible theme has also been inducted into the Grammy Award Hall of Fame.
Schifrin is survived by his wife, Donna, and their three children.
English (US) · 